Sunday, August 25, 2013

On Editing: A Summary

I think it's safe to say the editing process is complete, at least from my side of the keyboard. I came up with an idea for an epilogue a couple of days ago, and I wrote the first version of it this morning. So it's time for a (mostly) final accounting.

Over the past thirty-six days I've:

cut 29,000 words and 111 pages (remember, 20 pages of that was endnotes)

got rid of the whole "found manuscript" premise, the confession format, and everything to do with Marie-Agnès at the convent

went through and streamlined the narrative. What DID I have against contractions??

replaced the confessional letters with longer chapters

wrote a prologue and an epilogue

restructured the first chapter

minimized the role of certain minor characters

chopped an entire chapter because it didn't advance Isabelle's story (at least 20 pages in one fell swoop)

came up with a new title

all in an effort to bring Isabelle's story to the forefront. The epilogue still needs some work. It doesn't do exactly what I want it to do, but it's getting there. I'm going to let it cool off for a bit, then I'll look at it again.

I think I've done good work here. I want the story to be the best that it can, and it's very nearly there, which is good, because I'm back to work tomorrow. There are a few publishers who said they'd be willing to look at the manuscript again. Let's hope they like it!